| Publication Date: February 14, 2006 HURRICANE RITA -- ELECTRONIC ANNOUNCEMENT # 8 From: Sally L. Stroup, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education Summary: Federal Student Aid Programs - Waiver with Respect to Campus-Based Aid Transfers and Matching Requirements for Federal Work Study (FWS), Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) and Federal Perkins Loans Posted on 02-14-2006 Section 202(a) of the Higher Education Hurricane Relief Act of 2005, included as part of Public Law 109-148, authorizes the Secretary to waive or modify any statutory or regulatory provision applicable to the student financial assistance programs under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, or any student or institutional eligibility provision in the Higher Education Act of 1965, as the Secretary deems necessary in connection with a Gulf hurricane disaster. This announcement addresses two waivers of statutory and regulatory requirements for institutions that participate in the campus-based programs and were affected by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita. For purposes of these waivers, any institution located in an area designated by FEMA as eligible for individual and public assistance under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act is considered an affected institution. Transferring Campus-Based funds Between Programs An affected institution is permitted to transfer up to 100 percent of the total funds it received under any of the campus-based programs for the 2005-06 award year to either its FSEOG or FWS program, provided that the institution participates in the program(s) to which funds are transferred. An institution may not transfer FSEOG or FWS funds to its Federal Perkins Loan Program. Non-Federal Share or Capital Contribution An affected institution is not required to provide a non-Federal share or capital contribution, as applicable, to match any campus-based funds it received for 2005-06. Schools with questions concerning the information provided in this announcement should contact Harold McCullough by email at harold.mccullough@ed.gov or by phone at (202) 377-4030. |